Brewers', Royals' Opening Day starters look for better results

After finally getting into the win column, the Milwaukee Brewers will turn to right-hander Freddy Peralta for the deciding game of the series against the visiting Kansas City Royals on Wednesday afternoon.

Peralta (0-1, 3.60 ERA) took the loss in the season opener despite allowing just two runs in five innings against the host New York Yankees.

He will be opposed by left-hander Cole Ragans (0-0, 5.40), Kansas City's Opening Day starter who permitted three runs in five-plus innings versus the Cleveland Guardians.

The Brewers picked up their first victory after four losses with a 5-0 win over the Royals on Tuesday. Rookie Chad Patrick and four relievers combined on a four-hitter and Eric Haase and Christian Yelich homered.

Milwaukee, which was the only team in the majors last season to not have a losing streak of at least four games, avoided its first 0-5 start since beginning with six consecutive defeats in 2003.

"It's huge. And it means a lot in the locker room," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the first victory. "They can relax a little bit and breathe somewhat."

In their four losses, the Brewers were outscored 47-15. Opponents had scored in the first inning in each of the first four games, totaling 10 first-inning runs.

"When you're looking at the first four games and they score runs every time in the first inning, it just seems like we're snakebit a little bit," Murphy said. "The ball wasn't going into our glove and that type of thing. It's natural. But the whole game felt better (on Tuesday)."

Peralta took the loss on Opening Day in New York, giving up a pair of solo homers in a 4-2 setback. He struck out eight and walked one in a 93-pitch outing.

Peralta has faced the Royals twice in his career, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 8 2/3 innings. His lone start against Kansas City came in 2018, when he allowed one hit and fanned 10 over seven scoreless innings.

Behind him, the Brewers' bullpen has been bolstered by the return of Abner Uribe, who got the win Tuesday with 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief. Uribe was making his season debut after serving a four-game suspension. The ban dated back to a hit-batter incident last April, as he never got to serve the punishment when his 2024 season was cut short due to a knee injury.

Brice Turang (.368) and Sal Frelick (.333) are the only Brewers regulars batting better than .300 through five games. Yelich was 1-for-15 prior to his eighth-inning homer Tuesday night.

Ragans permitted five hits in his start against Cleveland. He left with a 3-2 lead but didn't get a decision when the next Guardians batter hit a two-run homer off Angel Zerpa and the Royals went on to lose 7-4.

"His stuff looked good," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said following Ragans' first start. "I think he lost his command there a little bit (later in his outing). He got into some deeper counts."

Ragans went 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts last season, and his 223 strikeouts ranked second in the American League to the 228 posted by Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

Ragans has faced the Brewers just once, when he gave up two runs in six innings while striking out eight on May 6, 2024. He wound up with a no-decision in a 3-2 Kansas City victory.

The Royals won the series opener 11-1 on Monday but have scored just 10 runs combined in their other four games. On Tuesday, they went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

--Field Level Media